Sunday, September 7, 2014

We are home, sort of

We came home to Tennessee after almost 2 months in Alaska. It really felt good to be in our own bed albeit I had trouble getting used to Central time. Alaska is three hours earlier.

We got home very early on Wed, the 27th. I got a call from Laurie, the morning of the 28th. She had a fall on her mountain bike. Brett and Laurie ride 10 - 14 miles most days. She rolled her bike and fell. She ended up with a left pelvis fracture along with her left wrist. She had lots of scrapes and bruises also.

We went over on Friday and took my Mom's walker, shower chair and transport chair to her. We did not stay over night.

On Saturday Howard helped Larry and Zane finish up on his Eagle Scout project.

He had made swings for a local park. Howard helped them hang the swings.

Zane and Grandpa

On Sunday we got a call from Matt. He was at work but leaving to join Amy and Abigail at the hospital. Abigail ate some yogurt. She vomited, broke out with hives and was going into anaphylactic shock. Amy took her down to the fire department (one block away) and they transported her to Children's hospital in Cincinnati.

She did spend the night in ICU.

She is starting to feel a little better.

Sleeping in her mom's arms.

Feeling much better the next morning.

Ready to leave the hospital. The allergist determined that she is allergic to milk. She also had a reaction in May when we were camping when I gave her some ice cream.

We had a few things we had to do here at home. Wednesday afternoon we drove back over to Laurie's to spend some time there. Brett is gone on a trip.

Laurie and Brett's kids have been great stepping in and helping out. We went with Laurie to her Dr.'s appointment. He basically said she needs to stay in a chair the next five weeks. She can get up and use the restroom and shower, but other than that she needs to be sitting, either in her recliner or transport chair.

Going to her Dr appointment.

He also said she needed a platform on her walker. We got that for her. It helps her wrist to stay immobile.

She was able to get up and start eating at the table with us.

Noah and Chase

Grandpa and Hunter

Hannah and Laurie

One day I went to the Mennonite Farm Market to get some things. Laurie also gets her raw milk there.

While we were there I noticed that they were pressing their sorghum. I asked if I could take pictures. As long as I didn't take pictures of the people I was welcome to take them.

This is what the sorghum looks like when it is ready to be harvested.

The leaves are striped off of the stalks.

It is brought by wagon load to the press.

The press is powered by horses.

They walk around the press to power it. It comes out of the press like this.

It is a green color and very liquid. It is then taken to the evaporator and reduced down, 8 to 1. They use stream to power the reducer.

It is hard to see the steam engine in this picture.

This is the finished product I use all the time when I make my whole wheat bread.

It is very yummy!!

One night we sat around in Laurie's bedroom and played Quiddler. We also watched some TV shows together.

Someone had posted on FB a way to do a braid. I fixed Daria's hair like this one morning.

We came home last night. We think we are home to stay for a bit, but you never can tell.